By Bob McCauley, CNC, MH
There are three numerical values for fresh produce sold in the United Stated: 4, 8 and 9.
- 4 = Produce grown with herbicides, pesticides and/or fungicides. Referred to as “Commercially Grown” Produce.
- 8 = Genetically Modified Foods (GMO, or Genetically Modified Organism).
- 9 = Organically Grown Produce without the use of chemicals of any kind.
It is a very simple system. I like it. I adore simplicity in and of itself. And having identifier numbers for produce is exactly what we need to have if we can expect to know what we are buying because it is food, something we are going to put in our body that will either make us healthier or less healthy. Seldom do things we put in our body have a neutral affect.
I choose to purchase 9 (organic) 90% of the time. 100% of the fruit I consume is organically grown, and 90% of the vegetables. It costs a little more but that is my choice. I would not touch a commercially grown. However, I have never seen an ‘8’ GMO food sold in a store in the US. We know for a fact that much of the corn and potatoes we are sold have been genetically modified in some way. We know that at least 90% of the Soy grown in the US is GMO. You would think that you would have run across one by now.
I believe that the corporations that are producing GMO foods from GMO seeds are refusing to identify that the foods they sell are Genetically Modified. And no one is there to enforce it. FDA swat teams are busy raiding Amish farms that sell raw milk at 5am, so how could we possibly expect them to insist that Monsanto, Du Pont and all the other companies that produce and sell GMO seeds and produce, do what they are required by law to do: IDENTIFY THEIR PRODUCE with a 4, 8 or 9. So they get away with it, year in and year out. So much for Truth-in-Labeling laws.
A great documentary I would recommend is Fed Up (2002) it details the GMO world and its potential dangers. The problem with GMO food is that it has been genetically changed by humans slicing in and/or removing gene strings. Who knows what this will do to human health. I certainly don’t want to be the guinea pig to see what they might or might not do to us. I wonder if those individuals who work at companies such as Monsanto and DuPont actually eat GMO foods. I would like to see a documentary following around employees of the GMO companies eating the GMO foods their companies produce. Now that would be good reality TV in my mind.
I have never seen a fruit or vegetable in a grocery store in the US with an identifier sticker that begins with an ‘8’. Have you?
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About Bob McCauley
Bob McCauley, ND (Robert F., Jr.) was raised in Lansing, Michigan and attended Michigan State University (BA, 1980 in Journalism). He is a naturopathic doctor, Master Herbalist and a Certified Nutritional Consultant. He has traveled extensively, both domestically and abroad, visiting over 32 countries. He published Confessions of a Body Builder: Rejuvenating the Body with Spirulina, Chlorella, Raw Foods and Ionized Water (2000), Achieving Great Health (2005), The Miraculous Properties of Ionized Water, (2006) which is the only book on the market that exclusively addresses Ionized Water, Twelve (Fiction, 2007) and Honoring the Temple of God (2008). He considers himself a Naturalist, meaning he pursues health in the most natural way possible. He studies and promotes nature as the only way to true health.
From 2002-2004 he hosted the radio program Achieving Great Health, which was heard by thousands of people each day. His guests included some of the most well-known and respected names in the natural health world.
With the help of his father, Dr. Robert F. McCauley, Sr. (Doctorate in Environmental Engineering, MIT, 1953) they started Spartan Water Company in 1992, which sold vended water machines in supermarkets. Robert Jr. founded Spartan Enterprises, Inc. in 1993. He is a Certified Water Technician with the State of Michigan. He is also a Type II Public Water Supply Specialist and has the certifications of S-5 and D-5. The McCauley family has a long history in the water industry. Bob's father pioneered environmental issues regarding ground water and drinking water quality. He received his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1953 for his thesis on removing radioactive strontium from water. He earned his doctorate in Environmental Engineering in less than 2 years, one of the shortest doctoral studies in the history of MIT. He taught civil, sanitary and environmental engineering at Michigan State University for 18 years before retiring to run Wolverine Engineers & Surveyors of Mason, Michigan, for 17 years. His reputation throughout Michigan as a water quality expert was legendary. Bob worked for his father's company for 12 years learning the water business, which dealt primarily with municipalities, including water quality and sanitary sewer issues.
After apprenticing with his father, Bob moved on to the bottled water business. He established greater Michigan's biggest selling bottled water: Michigan Mineral – Premium Natural Water. He was introduced to Ionized Water in 1995 and has done more to promote Ionized Water than anyone else in the industry. Bob often lectures and offers seminars on his Seven Component Natural Health Protocol .
Bob is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and a Certified Master Herbalist. He is also a 3rd Degree Black Belt and Certified Instructor of Songahm Taekwondo (American Taekwondo Association).
I’m in complete agreement with you, Bob. Unfortunately, required labeling for fresh produce and fish is considered “voluntary” according to FDA regulations. http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/default.htm
As for “GMO” foods and labeling, the FDA’s position appears to use “bioengineering” to blur the lines and claims that consumers do not understand what “genetically modified” means.
“Bioengineering” – particularly with regard to produce available for sale – was left unregulated for so long that the FDA now claims that almost all produced has been “bio-engineered” in some way thereby making it difficult or impossible to require (or allow) labeling of foods as genetically modified or non-genetically modified.
You have to read through a bit, but you can find their stance on it here: http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm059098.htm
Aside from inspecting facilities to ensure that foods are processed in a manner that prevents unnecessary risk of food-borne bacteria the FDA is proving itself worthless to the United States population. They continue to allow pharmaceutical companies and others like DuPont and Monsanto to be the catalysts to developmen and impose regulations in areas where the general population has expressed little or no concern while ignoring the issues and areas that “we the people” feel need regulation.
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